Instagram has easily become one of the most popular social media apps. In 2016, it’s estimated that 500+ million people use Instagram monthly, 300 million daily, and 58% of Instagram users are 18-29 years old. Why is this important to Event Profs? Because this means Instagram can allow you to reach a larger audience, including millenials!
There are tons of research on the Instagram usage and the ways businesses can utilize it. Also, it’s important to stay up to date with what’s going on with your instagram account. So ABCey Events has created 5 tips to successfully use Instagram for your event business!
1. What to post
First, you need an Instagram account! If you don’t have one, just scroll down to #5 for tips to create the perfect account. Okay, you have an account or just created one, but now what? What do I post? hint: See below to see what types of content to post!
Types of Posts
1. Have a story: Let your followers feel like they are a part of your business and on the inside of the event action with story-like posts! However, don’t post straight advertisements. Instead, have a variety of images from selfies to video interviews. There is no limit to the content you post!
Similarly, studies suggest users want to experience the story rather than see plain objects. Salesforce found most users liked, “amusing, creative, beautiful, and inspiring” content. So maximize your Instagram reach by captivating images, posting entire event processes, features of event speakers and famous attendees, inspirational quotes, and especially human faces!
2. Relatable posts: Keep followers by posting stuff they can relate to! By fusing scenes and possible scenarios that can happen in everyday life with your products and services, followers can see how useful your products and services are!
https://www.instagram.com/p/0tpeJfAUUf/?taken-by=nike
3. Business posts: Advertise your business by posting your sponsors, events, and brand. Do this by sharing images about your sponsors in colorful and fun photos. Additionally, try to get other users, special guests, and famous people to post/tag/hashtag about your event and company. More and more people are basing their decisions on what they see on social media. Therefore, you can grow your business by having ambassadors give you some exposure!
But be careful! No one wants their entire feed filled with obvious advertisements. Learn about event marketing on Instagram below (#4 Instagram for Events).
2. Strategic Posting
Previously, we mentioned that Instagram accounts are more successful when the types of posts are different. But here are other things you can do to boost likes, follows, and comments!
1. Editing your posts: Studies have found what specific aspects of a post make them more popular. They found more people like photos with the Mayfair filter! Also, the 2nd and 3rd most liked filtered photos are #nofilter and Inkwell, respectively. In addition, you’re more likely to get likes on images that are brighter with a single dominant color, especially blue, and background space than others! Don’t forget to use Geographical locations and connect with users by a shared location. Check out Curalate’s full study for more tips.
2. Posting times: Don’t pester and annoy followers! If you are posting multiple times a day, spread them out. However, most studies suggest posting only 5-7 times throughout the week. Specifically, your best bet is to get the most likes by posting on Wednesday from 5-6pm! Additionally, don’t stress about posting right on time and schedule posts with apps like Hootsuite and Schedugram.
3. Gain followers, grow your business
1. Instagram interaction: By interacting with users, you’re sure to gain and keep followers! First off, you can simply ask questions and inviting captions that lead people to comment. From re-gramming someone’s post related to your business/event, tagging companies, responding to comments, commenting on and liking posts, and giving shout outs to your loyal followers, show your followers you care and value their support!
2. Spoil your followers: Reward your followers well by posting announcements, contests, and special offers! You can have them follow, like photos, comment, hashtag, and tag your account to be entered to win prizes and special offers! This encourages people to follow you, as they will be the first to see when you are holding contests. Now you have followers promoting your event and business to others!
4. Instagram for Events
Now, for all you event profs, we have Instagram tricks to make your next event a success!
1. #Hashtag: Make sure you use hashtags to help people discover your Instagram. Use both specific hashtags and popular hashtags so people can find your event/company easily! One study found that interactions increased with 11 hashtags, but most studies suggested using 5-10 hashtags. If your choose to include many, hide them by commenting your hashtags or hiding them many lines below your main caption. This way followers don’t get annoyed seeing them!
2. The Event: You can use Instagram to entertain your attendees and market your next event! Encourage users to post images and include your event specific hashtag in the caption. Then, companies like instafeedlive, will display them on screens around the event, making your guests feel special!
In addition, by simply using your event hashtag, your guests can leave your event with memorabilia! Printers, like Photoboxx and Luster, scan Instagram for your event hashtag and print the images out instantly. Also, you can allow guests to print a postcard and polaroid picture when they hashtag their photos! Learn more about them here. So give your event and company immediate publicity and get these tools at your next event!
3. Event hype: When showing the story of your event, there are tons of things to capture! Post about the event before, during, and after to keep the event fresh in your follower’s minds. First get them excited with behind the scene images of the venue set up with your event team hard at work! Moreover, use Instagram to not only remind followers when tickets go on sale, but also hype up attendees with event fliers and countdown day photos. This makes them feel like they are right in the middle of the everything happening at the event!
5. Creating Perfect Profile
Your profile is extremely important as it’s how they judge your account! Therefore, you need to be sure that your Instagram looks like something they should follow.
1. Your Bio: First, create a bio description that is short, fun, and interesting. But it still needs to say your business name or who you are, what your business does, and make it unique!
2. Get them to your website: If you didn’t know, links on your photo captions don’t work. Thus, the only link to get people to your website is in your bio. So make sure you include your website link, and any other informative names you want people to search and find you by (ex: Event Planner).
3. First impression/Profile pic: Along with photos and your bio, users see your profile picture first. Get a good quality photo of your logo or a picture that represents your company to bring in more followers!
How are you going to use Instagram at your next event? Tell use in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter. Also, follow us on Instagram!